Animal trap



Patented vMay 15, 1928.

UNITI-:n STATES Feier..

ANIMAL TRAP. Y

Application led .Tune 20, 1927, Serial No. 200,260, and in Canada November 15, 1926.

This invention relates to animal traps. i Its object is to provide a trap of extremely simple and inexpensive construction Jfor the purpose 0I' trapping animals without injury to them.

The appliance may Jthus be used as a humane substitute for the ordinary ljaw-trap,

f or for the purpose of securing fur animals forms the trigger.

for breeding purposes to be used as stock on fur farms'and the like. n

My invention consists in the 'following elements, a receptacle of'wire mesh say of deep dish-like form having a fiat-rimmed orifice which is closable by a baseboard to. which it is hinged and against which it alls und-er the impulse of a spring. l

The cage is held open againstthe action of the spring by a hinged lever of the second order, the lever being releasable by another lever arranged as atrigger device, the latter being in connection with a bait hook.

In the drawings herewith which form part of this application, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the trap in the open position7 Fig. 2 is a front elevation of Fig. l.'

Taking the drawings in detail, 5 yis the wire-mesh cage, 6 a 'ulcrum bar or springbar secured to the baseboard 7, 8 a lever hingable at the ulcrum 4 and passing over the framework ot' the cage which it holds open at an angle oi' say 9() degrees from the closed position. The extremity 9 of the lever 8 is engaged by the trigger hoolr 10 connected to the hook ended lever 11, and

The lever 11 is fulcrumed at 12 and its extremity forms the bait hook. One or more springs la, preferably of the helical type 1 adapted to close the cage by hinges on the rsame axis as that of the helix ot each spring is shown anchored at 15 to the baseboard 7 The operation of the device is readily seen by observation off. the drawings. The cage 5 is raised from the position oli Fig. 2 to f that of Fig. 1 against the torsion of the springs 14, the hinged lever S meanwhile falling towards the trigger device, as shown in Fig. 1.

The end 9 of the lever 8 is then secured by the trigger hook 10 under delicate adjustment, so that any disturbance to the bait hook 11 releases it allowing it to slide back .ove-r the cage as the latter closes under the action of the powerful springs 14.

is the device functions to great advantage in shallow waters and swampy localities the baseboard is arranged with buoyancy members 16 under its heavier end. `These rare preferably formed ot' corkIbut any-suitable material having the required buoyancy to keep the baseboard just above the water level will effect the purpose.

Having now particularly described my invention, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent, is y 1. An animal trap comprising, a cage of wire-mesh, said cage having a flat-rimmed aperture, a baseboard adapted to close the said aperture, resilient members secured to said baseboard and to saidcage and adapted lto exert pressure tending to` hold the rim of said aperture and the said baseboard in close y i contact, hinges secured to said baseboard and to said cage, a spring bar secured to said baseboard, the extremity of said'bar forming a fulcru-m, a lever of the second order hingeable about saidviulcrum, a trigger hook in combination with a bait hook, the two said hooks being pivotable on a fulcrum ad-` jacent the sa-id baseboard, an eye bolt adapted to ,receive and act. as a fulcrum for the said hooks, the extremity of the said levery engaging the said trigger hook.

Q ,An animal trap comprising, a cage of wire-mesh, said cage having a fiat-rimmed aperture, a baseboard adapted to close the said aperture, resilient members secured to said baseboard and to said cage and adapted to exert pressure tending to hold the rim of said aperture and the said baseboard in close contact, a hinge secured to said baseboard and to said cage, a fulcrum comprising a spring bar secured to said baseboard, a lever of the second order hingeable about said ulcrum and adapted to hold the said cage vin its open position, an eye bolt form-` ing a second fulcrum secured to said baseboard, a trigger hook hingeable on said second fulcrum, the extremity 'of the firstl said lever engaging the said trigger hook, a bait hook forming a second arm of said second lever, a buoyancy member secured to said baseboard and adapted to maintain the said base board horizontally when the device is floating and in its open position.

ARTHUR P, oUMMiNs.

vIn testimony whereof I airix my signature. 

